


Sunrise Never Looked So Good

by historical_allusions



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Falling In Love, M/M, NHL Off-Season, Road Trips, Summer Romance, mostly a love letter to Death Valley
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 19:04:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19482091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/historical_allusions/pseuds/historical_allusions
Summary: Alexei wasn't expecting much for his off-season training in LA.  Maybe go to the beach or see the new Star Wars World at Disneyland.  Those plans all change when he finds out Kent Parson is renting out the other half of his duplex for the summer.But a little summer romance never hurt anyone...





	Sunrise Never Looked So Good

**Author's Note:**

  * For [icyvanity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/icyvanity/gifts).



The Falconers knew they weren’t going to be repeat Cup Champions by the time the playoffs started. They came into the post season with too many injuries. And while they put up a good fight in the first round and were able to advance, no one was shocked when they didn’t make it past the second.

Disappointed. But not shocked.

Still, the view of the sunset from the beach house Alexei rented for the offseason did ease the sting of elimination. Well, watching the Aces get knocked out of the Western Conference Final also helped.

Alexei wasn’t used to the West Coast but he was in Los Angeles for some summer training. He rented half a duplex in a gated neighborhood that had a shared back porch and a wooden staircase down to the private beach. Driving in LA felt a lot like a contact sport, but being so close to Hollywood felt like a vacation, and he was looking forward to going to Disneyland to see the new Star Wars World.

Alexei’s duplex shared a few walls with his neighbor and the back porch connected both houses, but they stayed out of each other’s way. Alexei only noticed the other man moved in when he went into the kitchen one day and could hear someone singing along to 90s pop ballads through the wall. Apart from the occasional karaoke sessions, the only indication someone moved in was the cat that had taken up residency on the porch.

After a few games of beach volleyball, Alexei would make his way back up to the house and drink a beer on the porch while he watched the sunset over the water. He loved the city of Providence, but west coast sunsets were something to behold.

A brown and white cat was curled up on Alexei’s discarded beach towel, right on the chair he was planning on using.

The cat appeared to be napping.

Alexei put a hand on the back of the lounge chair and the cat didn’t even stir. “котенок,” he tried. “Please wake up so I can have chair back.”

Very gently, Alexei reached out to pet the cat.

As soon as his fingers brushed against the fur on her head, she bolted up and jumped off the couch. She darted behind Alexei…

Right through the open door into his living room.

“Oh no. No no no no no,” Alexei said, racing back into the house after it. He closed the door to the deck behind him and started searching for the cat, but there were a lot of places for something so small to hide in a house so big.

Not knowing what else do to, he swallowed and headed to his neighbor’s door.

Alexei had never officially introduced himself to his neighbor so he wasn’t really sure what to expect. As embarrassing as he found the thought of losing a stranger’s cat in his rental house, he hoped the its owner for would find it at least a little bit amusing so Alexei smiled and tried to think of how he’d tell the story.

Whatever anecdote he was about to come up with died on his tongue when the door opened up to reveal his neighbor for the past week—the one who belted out all the lyrics to “Since U Been Gone” on repeat for 35 minutes when Alexei was having breakfast—was none other than Kent Parson.

“What’s up, Mashkov?” Parson said around a yawn. He had the line of a pillow crease over his cheek and was in an old t-shirt and gym shorts. Alexei probably woke him up from a late afternoon nap.

“Kent Parson,” he said, gaping at him. “Your face is not looking bad.”

Alexei immediately snapped his mouth shut but Parson chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Thanks, man. It looked way worse on TV. I was only out so long because the trainers couldn’t get the bleeding to stop but it’s all good now,” he said, rocking back on his heels.

Parson had taken a dirty crosscheck to the face in the last game of the conference final. He’d left the ice at the start of the second period and didn’t return until part way through the third-- but by then the Aces were down three and there just wasn’t enough time left for them to come back. There’d been speculation he’d broken his nose, maybe even had a concussion, but as Alexei looked at Parson’s face all he could see was the bruising under his freckles.

“So, do you want to come in…?” Kent asked and Alexei snapped back to the present.

“Your cat run into my house,” Alexei said instead, pointing back towards his door.

Kent winced. “Ugh. Yeah. She does that sometimes,” he said and he stepped back into his house with a sigh. He left the door open and Alexei, unsure of what else to do, followed him inside.

Kent’s side of the duplex was laid out as a mirror image to his own. It was decorated differently, and even though Alexei had been living in his side for much longer, Kent’s side looked more homey. Alexei watched as Kent went to the kitchen and retrieved a bag from the freezer.

“Ten bucks says she’s hiding under the couch,” Kent said as the two of then walked out to the porch and into Alexei’s side of the building.

Kent made a beeline to the couch and dropped down onto his stomach. Alexei was momentarily distracted by the arch of his back until Kent started to shake the plastic bag from the freezer.

“Jackpot,” he said, smirking up at Alexei. “You probably spooked her a little on the deck is all. Kit normally takes a bit to warm up to new people so I’ll get her out and you can give her a treat so she won’t run away from you again.”

Alexei heard a soft sound from under the couch and Kent laid out a piece of frozen salmon on the hardwood floor. Gradually, Kit appeared from under the couch and munched on the little treats Kent set out for her. She was eating one out of his hand when Kent turned around to face Alexei.

“Okay, your turn,” he said, holding out a piece of salmon for him.

Alexei took it in his hand and opened his palm out for Kit.

The cat regarded him warily. She looked over to Kent who scratched behind her ears affectionately. Kit turned back to him and took the step forward to swipe the treat out of his hand and onto the floor.

Alexei drew his hand back and Kit made quick work of the salmon, climbing into Kent’s arms when she was done.

“Are you done being dramatic now?” Kent asked, petting her along her back as she purred. “I specifically asked you if you wanted to be inside or outside earlier.”

Stanley Cup Champion Kent Parson was sitting cross-legged on Alexei’s living room, cooing at his cat.

Kit purred in his armed and Kent laughed as he stood up.

“Sorry about that, Mashkov. Thanks for being a good sport. Come over for dinner tonight, I’m making steak,” Kent said as he walked back through the sliding glass door to the deck and into his own house.

The entire experience was so surreal Alexei just nodded back at him.

_/x\\_

It turned out that Kent Parson was a decent cook.

“Haha, no, I only know how to make like three things,” Parson said when Alexei brought it up.

Humble wasn’t a word Alexei would have thought to associate with him either.

Kit sat up on the counter while Kent made them steaks that night, the whole house smelled like garlic and rosemary. She waited patiently for Kent to show her everything he put into the pan before he opened up a can of food for her and brought their plates out on the deck so they could eat while the sun set.

Their dinner conversation was light and easy. Kent asked a few questions about Alexei’s summer plans and how he was enjoying the beach. Alexei revealed he’d never trained on the West Coast before and he didn’t know many people in LA so he spent most of his time alone. Kent was training at the same gym but he was taking a week to recover from the season before starting the workout regimen.

Alexei still thought Kent was a jerk who would crash the net to win a game but he was a jerk who made a pretty good steak.

Naturally, Alexei invited him to dinner the next night. Just out of common courtesy. To return the favor.

Definitely not because of the way Kent looked in a half open shirt and board shorts.

_/x\\_

Alexei wasn’t sure how it happened, but he and Kent started hanging out a lot.

They were neighbors but they spent time together like friends.

It was easier to cook for two people than for one so Kent and Alexei would end up in each other’s house for meals more often than not. And training at the same gym meant carpooling was easy enough.

Alexei started to see Kent almost everywhere he went.

They worked out at the same gym, albeit not with the same trainers. While Alexei would be dying and feeling like he was ready to pass out, Kent would be there to say “Great workout!” He’d invite Alexei out to lunch or to get smoothies and then it was easier to just spend the afternoon together before they went in for their evening workout.

Kent had plenty of photoshoots and sponsors he had to keep happy in LA so when he couldn’t spend the day with Alexei, he normally introduced him to one of the other players training at the gym or some guys on the beach he played spike ball with.

Alexei was not shocked to discover Parson also cheated at spike ball.

In addition to taking Alexei to a taco truck that made what were unequivocally the best tacos he had ever eaten, Kent also introduced Alexei to the LA night club scene.

“I’m going to get more drinks!” Alexei shouted to him over the music at whatever club they were in.

“I’m gonna dance,” Kent smiled back, the two drinks he already finished loosening him up. He tugged on Alexei’s hand to join but Alexei laughed and shook his head.

The club was loud and Alexei didn’t recognize any of the music but when he looked over at Kent, he was screaming out every word.

Alexei couldn’t believe Kent was tipsy after two mixed drinks but it looked like he certainly didn’t mind who he was dancing with. In chinos and a shirt unbuttoned so low it was practically hanging off his shoulders, Kent moved with the bass-heavy music. Alexei raised his eyebrows when a man got behind him and put his hands on Kent’s hips. Kent swayed against him for a chorus before turning away with a smile and a laugh as the club switched songs.

Later that night, Alexei worried that he lost Kent in the crowd but just then Kent pushed his way through the bar and next to him.

“You gonna dance with me after this?” he asked, popping the straw of his next drink in his mouth.

“I thought you met someone,” Alexei shouted back. Kent’s hair looked like someone had been running their hands through it. Alexei wondered what it felt like.

“Nah, man, I just like to dance. Why, you got your eye on someone? Need me to wingman for you?” Kent offered with a smirk and Alexei felt his face heat up. How many drinks had he had?

“Like I’m need you as a wingman,” Alexei joked but his eyes were on how red Kent’s lips looked in the club lighting.

Kent laughed at him again and Alexei felt like he’d missed the joke. Kent downed the rest of his drink and Alexei did the same, refusing to be outdone.

When Kent pulled at his arm again, Alexei followed him out onto the dance floor.

_/x\\_

They were watching a movie together when Alexei made his move.

Movie nights happened with some regularity between them, at least every other night.

Kent picked it out but Alexei wasn’t really paying attention to the plot. Kent liked to talk during movies and he had a running commentary that was much more interesting than the actual film. Then again, Kent had never even seen Star Wars so it wasn’t like he had good in movies anyway.

They were nearly an hour into it when Alexei stretched out on the couch, casually sprawling into Kent’s space. Kent didn’t even glance at him but he did shift a little closer.

On screen there was an explosion and Alexei leaned toward Kent.

His leg was resting against Kent’s and he only needed to lean forward a little and Alexei’s nose was brushing against Kent’s jaw. He could feel Kent go still beside him and he turned his body slightly towards him.

Alexei dipped his head towards Kent, brushing his lips against his in a kiss.

Kent surprised him by kissing him back softly so Alexei leaned into it, bringing a hand up to cup Kent’s jaw. When Alexei went to deepen the kiss Kent responded by placing a hand on his chest and pushing him firmly away.

“Am I—Did I read this wrong?” Alexei asked, confused by Kent’s responses. Kent looked like he was ready to run, though where to, Alexei had no idea given they were in his side of the house.

“I don’t do summer romances, Mashkov,” he told him. “Don’t start something you’re not going to finish.”

There was a reply on the tip of his tongue about both of them finishing, but Kent looked tense enough he didn’t want to risk it.

Instead, Alexei held up his hands and settled back to his side of the couch. “Then we stop here,” he said. Swallowing his disappointment, Alexei tried to shrug it off. “If you’re not interested, no hard feelings.”

Kent exhaled deeply but at least he didn’t run away. He seemed more subdued though when he looked down at his lap and muttered, “Thanks.”

“Is okay,” Alexei said, nudging him with a smile. He didn’t know what Kent had against hooking up but he wasn’t going to press. “You clearly have terrible taste in men. And movies,” he chirped lightly while a car sped out of the back of a plane and parachuted to the ground.

Kent laughed sharply. “You got me there,” he said and it sounded a little too serious for Alexei’s liking. But then Kent flashed him a smile and relaxed a little against the cushions. “Man, you’re just mad I wouldn’t let you put on Star Wars.”

“You’ve never seen it! How can you never see it!” Alexei demanded in mock outrage. “Is best movie!”

His tone had the desired effect and the mood lightened gradually. Even if Kent wasn’t interested, Alexei preferred him laughing on the couch rather than waiting for Alexei to lash out at him.

_/x\\_

Things changed between them after that but Alexei wouldn’t say it was Kent’s fault.

Kent acted the same way he always had- inviting Alexei out at night, showing up for dinner with Kit in his arms, cheating blatantly and repeatedly at ultimate frisbee.

Alexei just found himself paying more attention. And he realized he didn’t really know much about Kent. He knew Kent lived in Vegas. He loved his cat and given the opportunity they would both spend all day napping in the sun. He preferred the desert to the beach, something Alexei thought he’d never understand. But those were just little details, not who someone really was.

Kent was a master at redirecting a conversation. Alexei found himself pouring out details about his hometown and family while Kent asked questions in all the right places but never offered up any information of his own. Alexei understood why he was so popular amongst hockey players.

Kent’s favorite pastime seemed to be lounging out on the deck, Kit curled up beside him. Though lately, Kit had taken to curling up in the spot of shade beneath Alexei’s chair while he read. Kent loved it.

“Don’t move, dude. You’re going to mess up the photo,” Kent said for the fifth time as Alexei tried to shift into a more comfortable position. “I’m trying to frame it with your shadow.”

“People think Kent Parson such an impressive hockey player. Don’t see him bending over backwards for photo of cat,” Alexei teased lightly. Kit stirred beneath him and stretched out on the smooth wood of the deck. Alexei heard the shutter on Kent’s phone as he snapped another photo.

“I’ll have you know I’m much better about it now. You should’ve seen me when she was a kitten,” he said, settling into his own deck chair to edit the photo. “She didn’t even have an Instagram yet so I really had no excuse.”

“You’ve had her how long?” Alexei asked. If Kent wouldn’t talk about himself, Kit was probably a safer bet.

“Uh, five years now?” he said, tilting his head. “I found her by the dumpster at the place I lived in as a rookie. I took her to the vet and I thought she was full grown but the vet just looked at me and went ‘Yeah she’s like 10 months. She’s getting twice this size.’ So, I brought her home with me and she’s been mine ever since.”

Alexei smiled softly to himself and thought it was a good enough start.

_/x\\_

The next time he heard Queen blasting through the walls, he knocked on the glass door out to the deck until Kent let him in to sing along.

Alexei dragged Kent to Disneyland and then utterly failed to hide how excited he was to go to Star Wars World while Kent chirped him mercilessly. But Kent still posed for a picture with Alexei and Princess Leia so it was worth it.

Kent insisted their next movie night be Legally Blonde and Alexei was taught why Elle Woods was “iconic.”

Most of their evenings consisted of playing beach volleyball where Kent was better at trash talking than actually playing volleyball but was also so competitive Alexei always wanted him on his team. After the game, they’ll walk down the beach until the sun starts to set and then they’ll make their way back to the house.

“Do you have any plans for the long weekend?” Kent asked him one evening.

“Hmm?” Alexei asked, distracted by Kit running up to the sand dunes. He was worried she’d run off but Kent assured him she never went too far.

“Memorial Day, it’s a three-day weekend. I was wondering if you had plans.”

Something about the way Kent said it gave Alexei pause. It felt too casual, almost forced. When Alexei glanced over at him, Kent was purposefully looking out at the water.

“No plans,” Alexei said honestly. “Do you have plans?”

“Kit and I are going to take a little road trip back out to the desert. If you’re not doing anything, do you want to come along?” he asked.

Alexei wasn’t excited at the prospect of going out to the desert, especially when they had the beach so close by, but he did want to spend more time with Kent.

“I’ve never been to the desert before. But I could visit with you. Even though desert is just hot brown dirt.”

Kent visibly relaxed beside him. “Let me guess, you don’t like sand?” Kent teased, knocking his shoulder against Alexei’s while they walked.

“Sand look better on beach,” Alexei argued. “And you don’t get to quote movie you haven’t seen!”

Kent smiled at him and Alexei felt something in his chest tug. It was a dangerous feeling but one he wasn’t going to think too hard about. “I can’t believe you’ve lived in the US for seven years and you’ve never been to a national park. I bet you’ve never even been on a road trip before,” he said, rolling his eyes.

Alexei chuckled and a silence settled between them that Alexei had learned not to break. It was as if Kent needed to give himself an out before he’d mention anything about himself.

“I drove coast to coast my rookie summer,” Kent told him. “I hadn’t gotten my license until then and I went out, bought a car, and drove from New York to California. I hadn’t even gotten Kit yet. I made this whole big road trip out of it and there was no where better than the California desert. I think you’ll fall in love with it.”

“If you’re inviting me,” Alexei said with a soft smile. “Then yes, I will go on big American road trip with you.” Kent smiled at him, ducking his head to hide it but Alexei leaned towards him until their shoulders bumped together. “But only if you make me special road trip playlist.”

_/x\\_

Alexei was sure Kent explained the logic of it all to him before, but it was much too early for Alexei to be expected to remember why they had to wake up so early.

“It’s to beat the traffic out. Now help me lift this cooler,” Kent said and Alexei was too tired to even come up with a chirp about Kent not being able to do it on his own.

Alexei didn’t know whose Jeep they were borrowing but Kent insisted it was the only car they could take on their road trip. Alexei took one moment to marvel at the amount of leg room there was in the passenger seat before Kent put a cat into his lap and climbed into the driver’s seat.

Kit had the right idea and fell asleep immediately.

“Want me to wake you up for breakfast?” was the closest thing Kent had to pity when he started the car up.

As much as Alexei wanted to just fall asleep for the entire drive, it seemed against the spirit of their road trip and he hated the disappointed look on Kent’s face. “How about you wake me up for coffee?” he said instead.

“Sure thing, man. Just don’t smoosh Kit or she is gonna scratch the shit out of your arm.”

Alexei nodded in understanding but he was asleep by the time his head hit the window.

When Alexei woke up, it wasn’t in the drive-through of a Starbucks where he thought they’d be. Kent let him sleep through all the LA traffic and they were out on the road, driving on a highway that wove its way through the mountains. Kent had one hand resting on the steering wheel of their borrowed Jeep and was lounged back in the seat. He bobbed his head along to the song playing quietly over the car speakers, mouthing along with some of the words.

“Sorry man, is the music too loud?” Kent asked, turning the radio down when he saw Alexei was awake.

“No, no. Is special road trip playlist,” Alexei said, batting his hand away from the dial. “I want to hear.”

Kent put both hands on the wheel and Alexei turned the music back up. Kent might’ve laughed at him when Alexei tried to tell him it was a quintessential part of the American road trip to sing out to a playlist but Kent just turned up the volume when Go Your Own Way came on next.

Kit hopped off Alexei’s lap and over his shoulder into the backseat when he started to add choreography, though.

Outside, Alexei watched the landscape level out and the sky open up, larger and clearer than Alexei had ever seen before and stretching out in every direction. They passed through little desert towns that all looked vaguely familiar and that probably didn’t care about two professional hockey players and a long-suffering cat on a road trip. It wasn’t until Kent stopped at a gas station for fuel and what he claimed were the best sandwiches in the world that Alexei realized he hadn’t been following a map or even looking at a GPS, he just knew where they were going.

It’s another hour before they start seeing the signs for Death Valley and Alexei could feel the air shift. The towns became fewer and farther between. A haze settled on the horizon that Alexei thought might be hiding another set of mountains. The road narrowed to a single lane in either direction and it started to feel like they were the only two people in the world.

Kent pulled over when they finally got to a sign welcoming them to the park. Alexei wanted to take a photo for his Instagram and Kent wanted to make sure Kit was getting enough water in the heat.

At the gate, Kent greeted the park rangers who both knew Kit and got Alexei a map before driving further into the park.

The park was much bigger than Alexei imagined and they had to park off the side of the road and walk to many of the places Kent wanted to show him. Luckily, it was already getting later in the day and most of the landmarks weren’t busy.

Kent brought him out to a basin at the foot of a mountain range and Alexei marveled at the tracks in the dirt two-ton boulders had made over the years. He couldn’t imagine the wind pushing something so heavy. Kit stayed close by the two of them, hoping up on Alexei’s shoulder at one point when some kids ran up to try and pet her.

Kent drove them to a bend in the road where they could see the layers of rock shooting out of the ground at odd angles and even odder colors. “Just to show you the desert isn’t only brown,” Kent said smugly while Alexei snapped a photo.

The last place they went was a sort of overlook.

“I don’t want to tire you out too much if we’re going to be hiking tomorrow. But I wanted to show you this place before we left,” Kent explain as they stepped over some desert brush. The sun was starting to set and it had cooled off considerable.

“It’s beautiful,” Alexei said, looking out at the valley beneath them. He could see the salt flat below them and the basin where they stood a few hours ago. The mountains somehow looked even larger from further away.

“Do you recognize it?” Kent asked, stepping up on a rock beside Alexei. Alexei could tell there was something familiar about the view but nothing he could place. “It’s called Dante’s View,” Kent explained. “It’s where they filmed part of the first Star Wars movie. Fourth movie. Whatever.” He said it casually, like they hadn’t been driving around the entire state of California just so Kent could show Alexei something so special.

“I am going to give you hug now,” Alexei said, turning towards him. Kent laughed as Alexei wrapped his arms around him and Alexei hugged him tightly, not sure how to explain how much it meant to him.

_/x\\_

They left the park just as the sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky and it was well past dinner time. Kent knew a hole in the wall place and they ate burritos while they watched the sunset. As the desert was lit before them with deep reds and purples with the cacti casting long shadows on the ground, Alexei could admit there was immense beauty in the place.

After dinner, Kent drove them off the paved road and out along an unmarked dirt trail. A few miles down, Alexei could make out a sort of hutch on the horizon.

It was smaller than their duplex, just a little two-bedroom place in the middle of nowhere. The floor was a poured concrete and there were empty shelves along the wall that Kit immediately used as a staircase to the exposed rafters.

It was obviously well loved and decorated with a few well-placed succulents. There was a long window that spanned the entire length of one side of the house from which Alexei could see the silhouette of the mountains.

“Pretty sweet place, right?” Kent said, putting their duffle bags down while Alexei heaved a cooler onto the kitchen table. “I normally rent it out during the year.”

“This is your house?”

“It’s nice to have a space away from everything, you know?” Kent shrugged and Alexei realized the house had several modern kitchen appliances but no television. “You should go take a shower. We’re doing movie night outside.”

Out back there was a patio with two deck chairs and a hammock big enough for two. Alexei lounged on it until he heard the door close and Kent join him, freshly showered and holding a laptop and a woven blanket. Alexei felt a flutter in his chest when he realized they’d be sharing the hammock.

“Who’s turn is it to pick the movie?” Alexei asked as Kent hopped onto the hammock, swinging them back and forth.

“I was thinking maybe Star Wars? You’ve finally convinced me to give it a shot,” Kent said, laying the blanket out over the two of them. The weren’t really any closer than they would be on the couch in the duplex, but it felt more intimate.

Alexei paid close attention to the movie and even closer attention to whether or not Kent was liking it, but by the time Luke fell into the trash compactor, Alexei started to feel a chill. He shifted a little closer to Kent under the blanket and to his surprise, Kent shifted closer as well.

“Wait, why didn’t Chewy get a medal?” Kent asked indignantly when the credits started to roll. He sat up a little and Alexei worried he might go over the edge of the hammock.

“Because George Lukas is not very smart,” Alexei explained.

Kent laughed softly and laid back. “You know. There is one more thing I thought you liked about the desert.”

“It’s been very nice so far. I don’t need any big surprises.”

“I think you’ll like this one anyway,” Kent said with a knowing smile. “Look up.”

Alexei felt the breath leave his chest when he tilted his gaze up and saw thousands—no, _tens of thousands_ —of stars up in the sky. He could see the milky way stretching across the sky and, without thinking, he reached a hand up to touch it.

He dropped his hand back down to his chest and they didn’t need to say anything.

When Alexei finally looked over to Kent, he realized Kent wasn’t even looking up. He was watching Alexei with a fond smile.

“You know, this place is a lot closer from Vegas,” Kent said, using the same fake-casual tone Alexei had become accustomed to Kent’s serious requests. “If you ever wanted to visit or something.”

Alexei swallowed and the fluttering in his chest got ten times worse.

“I know you don’t do summer romances. How about other romances?” Alexei asked him, voice barely above a whisper.

“I think you convinced me to give that a shot too,” Kent replied just as softly.

Alexei moved forward carefully to kiss him and this time, when Kent returned it, it wasn’t chaste. Kent surged forward to meet him and Alexei pushed back in return.

“Mashkov. Hold up. Wait wait wait—” Kent said and Alexei pulled back in confusion, unsure of what he’d done wrong.

Kent scrambled to grip his shoulders and before Alexei realized what happened, they were tumbling over the side of the hammock and into the desert sand below.

Kent laughed, even with Alexei’s full weight on top of him. Alexei couldn’t help laughing too because two professional athletes really should have better balance.

“I’m thinking maybe you call me Alexei now. Or Alyosha. Is special nickname,” Alexei said, shifting his weight so he laid less on top of Kent but was close enough to kiss him again.

“Alyosha,” Kent said. Then gasped it when Alexei kissed below his jaw. Even in the dark, Alexei could feel him smiling.

The next morning, despite multiple attempts of Alexei to pull Kent back into bed, they were up before sunrise to hike. Kent had to practically drag Alexei up the mountain but when Alexei looked out at the sun coming up over a horizon stretched across two states, he realized he’d been falling in love with a lot more than the desert.

**Author's Note:**

> Kent's laptop survives the fall out of the hammock, btw. 
> 
> If you liked this story, please leave a comment!! I have loads of extra tidbits that never made it into the story that I love to share in my replies!


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